Moscow praises Washington for siding with it in UN vote, as European nations abstain in deepening rift with US

• Russia-Ukraine war – latest news updates

The Kremlin has welcomed what it said was a “much more balanced” US stance on Ukraine after the Trump administration pushed through a UN security council resolution on the war that included no criticism of Russia.

The Kremlin spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, said the move was evidence of Washington’s willingness to try to find a peaceful settlement. Moscow backed the resolution, which was passed late on Monday, although European countries abstained in a sign of a deepening rift with Washington.